U.S. Members of Congress Live
on a Food Stamp Budget

October 30, 2007

Congressman Chris Van Hollen Takes the Food Stamp Challenge

Congressman Van Hollen reflects on living on the Food Stamp Challenge for one week:

The Food Stamp Challenge brings home the struggle that many Americans face on a daily basis. It quickly focuses your mind and your stomach on just how little food $21 a week buys. It also demonstrates that it is difficult, if not impossible, to eat a balanced diet on $21, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. I was feeling very cranky by the end of the week.

Comments

I spend 40.00 a week for a family of 4 at home and the kids receive reduced breakfast and lunch at school that costs me 2.00 a day for both of them. I use the grocery list from kraft for a week at wal-mart and it runs 20.00 a week, I then buy 3 bags of salad that costs 7.50 a week for 27.50, I leave 10.50 in staples for 38.00 a week, i buy a 2.00 box of cereal a week for 40.00. I have a garden that supplies me with a lot of fruits and vegetables. now if a family of four can do it, anyone can.

Not to seem crass, but how are so many people who are on Food Stamps and other forms of public assistance able to afford computers and internet access? Many years ago, when I was sick and on public assistance and Food Stamps, we did not even have a car or cable t.v. and I washed our clothes by hand in the bathtub to save money at the laundromat. Again, I don't mean to be insensitive, but maybe some of you need to get your priorities straight.(I can't believe that all of you are at the public library using free computers, but if you are, many of you should take the opportunity to improve your grammar and spelling, which might increase your chances of getting a better job and getting off of the dole).

I can see a little bit but what about when you only get 10.00 or with raise 31.00 a month? thats not per week for alot of people.
I am on S.S.I. and only get $637.00 a month and with raise $3100 a month.
and rent is high

I am a mother of two and a wife to boot! My family hasn't been on assistance except for medicaid for my two boys (3 and 1). My husband and I have always both worked full-time jobs to make ends meat. I was recently hurt at work and with only him working and me not able to work but 5 hours a week (no workmans comp benefits either) has really put a strain on our finances. We haven't applied for food assistance since I am hoping to go back to work soon but even before when we had two paychecks it is hard to fit even $100 a month for food in our budget. He works for minimum wage and I get little above it. With rent, utilities, gas, car insurance (we have one vehicle), day care and other expenses (diapers, wipes, shampoo, laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc.) there isn't much room left for food.

When I heard about this challenge I thought it was great! I would love for our congressmen and women, religious political leaders and I would love for the President to be involved in a project like this. When you have such a low budget (with us working we are not eligble for food stamps or anything other than our children's medicaid) you really have to bargain hunt. I can't afford fresh fruits and vegetables on our budget, canned is what we can afford if and when we can afford it. We can't afford much meat, usually cheap chicken or if hamburger or pork chops are on sale. We don't get the chips and cookies or other desserts. We simply live on a lot of pasta, cereal, oatmeal, eggs and sandwiches.
I have read the posts and for people to say that people with an income can afford to buy their own food or supplement food stamps (with the increase in minimum wage almost nobody is eligble if they work full-time) is crazy. I would like the gentlemen who posted that his four person family can eat like royalty on $400 a month to try and feed them all for $100 a month without being able to receive food stamps. Where are the programs to help people who actually work and pay taxes but can't afford food if they need gas to go to work? I'd like people to realize that these are the forgotten people, the ones who pay taxes but don't get a darn thing from the state and make to much to get help anyway!

I know this is post is from last year but I just found it (and I just posted on the other site as well). My daughter and her two year old daughter lives on $95 per month on food stamps. Before you start judging her, she is on SSI because my daugther was born with some problems and she tried to live a normal life as much as possible. Even married and had a child. But with the problems she had, she is now a single mom. She is doing the best she can, and I try to help as much as possible, but it is not buying food for two people on $95 per month (which equals $23.75 per week). Her SSI check helps pay her rent (which is partially reduced but not fully as her apartment complex owner is no longer particpating in the UDSA program); her electric and water and anything she can't buy with the food stamps such as diapers, etc. Yes she does receive minimal help from the father.

My mother, who at 70 years old still has to work, just found out the job she had closed down and she is trying to survive on her social security to pay her bills which by the way does not pay them. She has been struggling for a while and the job closure was just two weeks ago. She did apply and is getting $20 per week or about $80 per month but she says she can eat off of that. What does she do? This is no fault of hers - maybe it is because she should have planned her retirement but she has been on her own since 1979 when she left an abusive marriage (my father). I only share these personal stories so people will see and know that there are legitimate people who need help!

I work as a welfare application processor, very, very few of the family we see really need help. We always ask for the most current bank statement and you can see where they have ate out every day for lunch, visited the mall and movies on the weekends, and quite often ordered pay-per-view porn several times each month.

The system is income based not need based. No one is entitled to anything.

Beinng a homosexual in a homophobic world ,living on 600 a mounth on disbilty check and get g only 60 a month in food stamps is sad! I'm not black of a preganr women or have a bunch of ba ba kids ...or some Mexican imigrent...I'm just gay...yeat wcase I'm not the POOR so called minorty and actully REaLY pOOR...I feel the never put in there system what I should actuly get. I've seen social workers bend over back wards for mdxicans who can't speak no English at the food SRAMs office . Least I'm American born and raised! And least I'm not knoking up women or a women who is getting knocked up.I also don't own a car a d have to walk an hr to the nearest walmmart. 60 bucks a month gets me 15 a week if there is 4week in a month...try living off 15. A week In food!!!!a lot of ramen cheapest hot dogs penut butter IM sick of those !!!! and then u got the ARMY boys up in the food stake office! Why? They don't make enough? Try living on 600 a month! They get free. Housing free water and eletric! My eletric bill alone is 25O. Month! I'm fed up with what I see and how I have to live with this injustce

Well I'm posting a mother bitch an complain log entry... I'm Still living off 60 a month I'm food stamps and look as sick as I feel! I'm NOT BLACK I'm no PRWGNANT or a ARMY BOY ,,, then I'm sure I'd get more then a posey 60. Bucks

Living on $21 a week really isn't that bad if you don't eat out and you cook your own meals. In my family, we could live off of 4 cups of rice for a week...in rice porridge and it could feed 4 people. All you need extra is just some fruit, veggies, and meat...and that's way below $21/week. In most other countries, people live off of less than $3 a day...why in America do we have to spend so much money on food?